Track and road bus



Feb. 17, 1931 W. J. MARTIN TRACK AND ROAD BUS Filed July 26, 1950Patented Feb. 17, 1931 w t A Quantum,

or CL VELAND; 11

flApplication filed July 26,

" T This invention relates 'tocimprovelnents in track androadbusses,.that"is busses adapted to run either upon a tracker upon theroad. 1 One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a bus-ofthis character adapted to run from the road onto track or from the trackontothe road withoutstopping and without any adjustments whatever.Another object isthe provision of means carried by the wheelsof'the'rear axlefor contact with a side rail, on either side of thevehicle in order to maintainthe'wheels of that axle in a predeterminedcourse,.such :as upon the supporting rails ofa track. 1 i3 Another.object is the provision'of-means carriedfby the spindles of theforward,diri-g- 'ible wheels for; guiding the wheels along the trackrails, and thereby steering the vehicle,

as Well. as for preventing the front wheels :1 from moving laterallyupon the rails.

7 Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed withthedescription of that embodiment of the invention which; for thepurposes off thefpre'sent'application, I have' illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which 1 '1 1 'Figure 1 is a rear view of therear aXle of a vehicle. embodying the invent-ion, the side or guardrails and the supporting rails of the 0 track being shown in crosssection.

Fig. 2 is a central transverse section on a larger scale through a guardunit adapted to be attached to a rear wheel of the vehicle.

Fig- 3 is a side elevational view of a vehicle front wheel carryingmeans for guiding the 7 vehicle froma track side rail: I

.Fig. d is a plan view of the same shown 1n 'joperative relation with afragmentota side rail; and

Fig. 5 is a rear view of one end ofa-rfront in section substantiallyupon theline a es-or 'azile with its associated parts some, of the partsbeing broken away and 'others shown .4. i wing tolthe heavy traflic incongesteddis- .trict's; the running time-of passenger busses in enteringand leaving cities is "considerably prolonged and the difliculty ofmaintaing ac- 59 some little attention, has been given to the 19301Serial n6. trials.

provisionof elevatedor other tracks for the exclusive use of bus linesin such congested districts. My invention has to do with means l carriedby'"the:bus. for'holding it against lateral movementupon the tracksandfor "guldi'ng the forwardwheelsso as to'cause them to follow thelines ofthe track, Whether it be straight or curved, and withoutoperation of the usual steering gear by the. bus

driver. In accordance with my invention,

furthermore, the means referred-to is such that it is always inreadiness for the tra'vel'of as'the bus leaves a track and passes "ontoan ordinary roadwayglts travel can be continued 1 thencoming into play.

the drawing, 'I' have dicated at lO metal 'track'rails havingtupperflanges of sufficient width to provide satisfactory support for the rearwheels 11 and front wheel sl2 =of a bus. on account of the use ofpneumat ic tires, a bus maytravelover such a track, eventhough it be'an'elevated track; with a minimum of "noise; thereby eliminating one of thechief objections to elevated railways.

.11 and 12.

The rear axle 15 of the bus 'carries near each end bearings (not shown)upon whichare niountedthe wheels 11,11, these hearings being. fixedlymounted in the usual manner. On

the outer side of eachwheel 11 I secure a guard unit which may take theform illus- Itrated in Fig. 2, wherein there is-an outer cir- "cularmember, 16 provided with openings 17 for. the reception of fastenings bymeans of which the unitis centrally attached to the outerside of .theWheel. v This I member 16 has a central opening therethrough with aconstricted rim '18for the retention of a rela- 1 wtively large steelball 19.. On the. inner side curate schedules 1s increased.Consequently,

of the'me'mber 16 I form' an annular socket 'in which I mount aball,race;2Q,tl1elba1ls of the bus over a section of'track, while'as'soonxwithout interruption, the usual steering gear I -Along"either sideofthe'track I provide side which are adapted, to engage the large ball19 and take the lateral thrust imparted to that ball during theoperation of'the bus. To the inner side of the member 16 I attach aretaining plate 21 that is also recessed to receive the ball race 20,and that is provided with a .flange for the reception. of studs 22by'means of which' the two members 16 and 21 are secured together. Aftertheunit-has been thus assembled, itmavhe' ,sec uredtoya wheel 11,thereby bringing the 'centerof ball 19 into alignment with the axis .of.-rotation enough to engage the rails l3 with but'a slight clearance. Atall times during the travel of the bus-when these balls are inengagement -witlrthe rails "they of' coursetendto rotate i-n-ahorizontal plane, .while the balls of ball racef tend torotate inaverticalplane, but as there is a point topoint contact in eachinstance, and as all .of theballs are free to rotate inany direction,friction is reduced .to a minimum.

' *Now referring .tothe construction at :the forward end of the vehicle,a front axle of conventional design isindicatedat 23,11aving Ion eitherend a steering knuckle 24carrying .a wheel spindle25 upon which thewheel .12

.is rotatablymounted.in the usual manner. The spindle 25' howeverprotrudes beyondthe hub of thewheel a distance-somewhat greater than isordinarily the case, and .upon such protruding end I mount alongitudinallyextending bar26 which is lmaintained in fixedrelationwiththe spindle by keys 27 or other suitable means." A nut 28,threaded upouthe extremity of the spindle, serves to hold the bar 26 in,position. i .the' spindle preferably at an intermediate The bar .isattached to point, andat :its ends .it carries runncrs'29 adapted tocontact with the inner surface of rail 13. Forthese runners 29 Imayemployballs similar to the balls 19, as disclosed ,in' thedrawing,although thisis not essential since the runner rotates. in ahorizontal plane exclusively. It will be understood of course that therunners 29, likeitheballs l9, areso positioned as to contactwiththe siderails 13 on either side of the vehicle with but a small clearance. Themount ngs for the runners 29 maybe W hile I prefer to employ two guardrails 13, one on either side ofthe track, Idesire 'to 'call a-ttentionto the fa'ctthati the vdevices disclosed herein are capable ofbeingemployed Furthermore, it will be observed that a single s bar 26 on oneof the spindles 25 will serve tomanipulate the steering apparatus of;the vehicle, because of the contact ofthe bar with .the guard rail onboth sides of the spindle and because of the connection of the twoforward wheels'throu'ghthe usual drag link consit a on- 0f he wheel.The'balls 19 protrude far The guard rails 13 will, of course, be flaredapart somewhatiatgeach end of any given track in order'that the driverof a bus may guide .-the samereadilyinto position, upon. thetrackbetweenlthe guardrails.r As, soon as the front axle of a bus hastraveled into positionlbeyondthe flared-ends ofthe guard rails theoperator ofthebus is no longer calledupon to operate the steeringmechanism. When the bus leaves the track the driver .must

again resumethe guidance of the bus by the usual steeringmechanism. Theparts 19 and j 29 remain alwaysin operative position and .no adjustmentof them'is required.

' WVhile, intheiforegoing description, and in the accompanying drawing,I'have disclosed more. or less in detail one particular embodiment ofthe invention, I'desire it to 'beunderstoodlthat such detail disclosurehas been :resorted topri'marilyfor the purposeof fully illustratingthe-invention in accordance with the requirements of the statute, andthat it is not to be construed asamounting to any limitation; upon -thescope-of the invention.

claim: V

1: In-avehiclehaving dirigible wheels at one end thereof,.spindles'uponwhich said wheels rotate, longitudinally extending arms =fixed tosaidspindles on the outer sides of said wheels, and runnerson theextremities of said arms adapted tocontact withtrack side rails fordirectingthedirigible wheelsin a prede- Having :thus described vmyinvention, I

termined course.

' 2.31m vehicle having dirigiblewheels at one endwthereof spindles uponwhich said .wheels rotate, a longitudinallyextending arm :fixedat anintermediate point to one of said spindles on the outer side of thewheel, and

runners atrboth ends of: said armadapted'to contact'with a .tracksiderailfor directing the dirigible wheels in a predetermined course. i I

"3. -In a vehicle, steering .gear comprising swinging spindles, wheelsrotatable thereon,

longitudinally extending arms-fixed to said spindles on theouter side ofsaid wheels,, and runners ,on .the extremities of. said "arms adaptedito contact with track side rails for holding said steering gearito apredetermined course. I i

"s 41 ::In avehicle. having dirigible wheels .at one end thereof,spindles upon w en said wheels rotate, a longitudinally extendin armfixed at an intermediate point to one said spindles on the outer side ofthe wheel, runners at both ends of said arm adapted to contactwitha'track side rail for directingthe I dirigible wheels in apredetermlned course, and means mounted upon the end of the otherspindle for contacting with a second track 7 I side rail. 10 5. In avehicle, an axle, Wheel bearings carried thereby near the outer endsthereof, said bearings being maintained in fixed position, .wheelsrotatable thereon, and a ball mounted Y in one of said wheels at thecenter of rotation thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom,

'said'vball being adapted to contact with a .track side rail forpreventing the wheels from traveling to one side of apredeterminedcourse.

l ,5 2o 6- In a vehicle, an axle, wheel bearings car- 1 ried therebynear the outer ends thereof, said bearings being maintained in fixedposition, wheels rotatable thereon, a ball mounted in one of said wheelsat the center of rotation 5 thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom,said ball being adapted to contact with a track side rail for preventingthe wheels from traveling to one side of a predetermined course, andmeans carried at the opposite I side of the vehicle'for contactwithasecond trackside rail. a 1 j 7. In a vehicle,.an axle, wheelbearingscarried thereby near the outer ends thereof, said 7 bearingsbeing maintained in fixedjposition, V t wheels rotatable thereon, asubstantially vertical ball race carried by one of said wheels at thecenter of rotation thereof, a relatively 7 large ball seated laterallyagainst the balls I of said race, and means for retaining said 49 largeball in operative'relation with said race, said large ball projectingoutwardlyfrom the wheel to contact a track. side rail for preventingthewheels from traveling to one side of a predetermined course.

[ 8. In a vehicle, front and rear axles,.sp indles mounted to swing uponsaid front-axle,

- wheels carried by said rear axle and by said spindles, alongitudinally extending arm,

fixed at an.intermediatepoint'to one of said spindles on the outer sideof the wheel, a v

runner at each end of said arm adapted to. contact with a track siderail, means carried by the rear wheel on the same side of the vehiclefor engaging said side railfsaid runners and said last named means beingI adapted to properly direct the vehicle "in a r predetermined courseand to prevent its movement laterally to one side of such course, i andfurther side rail engaging means carried 0 by the vehicle for preventingits'movementl out of said course in the opposite lateral direction.

i In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix r signature.

a I V EWILLIAMJMARTIN.

